Animal-trap.



C. A. WYMAN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

-APPYLIOATION FILED un. a1, '1910.

975,098. PatentedNov. 8, 1910.

THE nemers PETERS co., WASHINGTON. n, c.

Stimm;

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

CHARLES ALBION WYMAN, OF GASTON, OREGON, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMC. EMMERSON, OF GASTON, OREGON.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WYMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gaston, in the county of Washington and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements 1n animal traps, and moreparticularly those adapted to be placed at holes made by burrowinganimals such as gophers, moles, rats, etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andeflicient device of this character which may be set quickly with safetyand convenience, and which will be without expense to operate.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel construction, combination and arrangementof parts, hereinafterfully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings 1n which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved trap; Fig. 2 is an edge view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is an end view showing the jaws, portions of the trapbeing omitted; and Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section taken on theplane indicated by the line 4 4 in Fig. 1.

My improved trap comprises a body or base 1 from which pro-jectjaw-carrying members 2, 3, adapted to be inserted in the hole or burrowmade by a mole or similar animal. The base 1 is in the form of a plate,and the members 2, 3, are in the form of rods disposed in parallelrelation and having at their outer ends oppositely projecting and rightangularly disposed jaws 4, 5, formed preferably by bending the eX-tremities of the rods at right angles and curving them longitudinally toa slight eX-.

tent, as shown in Fig. 3. The rod 2 and jaw 4 are stationary, the innerend of the rod being secured to the base plate 1 preferably by passingsaid rod 2 through an upturned bearing flange 5 and then passing theright angularly bent extremity 6 of said rod through a hole in the baseplate and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1910.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 541,075.

securing it, as shown at 7 in Fig. 4. The rod 3 is in the form of a rockshaft and is adapted to rotate to swing the jaw 5 toward or over uponthe jaw 4 to grip t-he animal between them. The inner end of the rod orshaft 3 is rotatable in an opening in the bearing iiange 5 and in abearing lug 8 provided on the base plate 1, said inner end of the rodhaving a right angularly bent arm 9 which forms a crank and has a bentextremity 10 forming a handle. A coil spring 11 surrounds the innerportion of the rod or shaft 3 and has one of its ends anchored at 12 tothe base plate, and its other end hooked around the arm 9, as at 13whereby said spring will tend to rotate the rod or shaft 3 in adirection to move the jaw 5 toward the'jaw 4. The longitudinal aXes ofthe jaws 4, 5, are preferably disposed in parallel planes so that theouter extremities of the jaws may swing past each other, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby permitting them to more effectively gripand hold the animal; and in order to prevent the animal from springingthe rods 2, 3, apart and working lout from between the jaws a retainingmember 14 is provided, as shown in Fig. 1. This member is preferably inthe form of a clip formed by bending a piece of heavy wire around theouter portions of the rods 2, 3, and bending one of its extremities 15around the stationary jaw 4, thereby securely fastening the wire and4causing it to serve as a guide and bearing for the rotary rod or shaft3.

The jaw 5 is adapted to be held in open position by means of a pair oflevers 16, 17, and a slidable trigger 18. The lever 16 is looselypivoted at one of its ends on the base plate 1 as shown at 19 and isadapted to swing over the crank arm 9 to hold the latter down on thebase plate 1, while the lever 17 has one of its ends loosely pivoted onthe base plate as shown at 2O whereby it swings in a plane at rightangles to the lever 16 and is adapted to hold the free end of the latterdown upon the base plate. The trigger 18 is in the form of a roddisposed parallel with the rods 2, 3, and slidable in an opening in thebearing iiange 5, and in a similar bearing flange 21 on the oppositeedge of the base plate. The outer endlof the trigger rod 1S has anupturned portion 22 disposed close to the jaws 4, 5, whereby the animalin working through the hole or burrow and passing over said jaws willstrike the projection 22 and shift the trigger rod. If desired, bait maybe used on the projection or end 22 of said trigger. The other end ofthe trigger rod 18 is bent over upon itself to provide a hook 23 whichis adapted to be moved over the free end of the lever 17 to hold thelatter down, and which is adapted to be retracted from said lever whenthe'trigger is actuated by an animal.

In order to securely hold the aw 5 in its open position without the useof the trigger, while the trap is being set in position, I provide aholding member 24 in the form of a hook. This member is secured on thebase plate 1 as shown at 25 and has an end projecting opposite to thatof the hook 23, and under which end the lever 17 is adapted to becaught.

In using the trap the trigger rod 18 is retracted and the arm 9 swungdown upon the base plate against the tension of the spring 11 to movethe jaw 5 to its open position. The levers 16, 17, are then arranged asshown in Fig. 1 and the lever 17 engaged with the holding or keeper hook24. The aws 4 are then forced well into the. hole or burrow of a gopher,mole or similar burrowing animal and embedded or partially embedded inthe bottom thereof. When the trap is thus positioned the lever 17 isdisengaged from the hook 24 and the trigger rod 18 is then moved in adirection to cause its hook 23 to engage the lever 17, and hold thelatter as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When an animal passes over thejaws 4, 5, it will strike and actuate the end 22of.the trigger, therebycausing the end 23 of the latter to release the lever 17. Then thishappens the spring 11 will swing the rock shaft or rod 3 and the jaw 5to cause the latter to hold the ani malagainst the jaw 4.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the trap is of simpleconstruction and may therefore be produced at a small cost and will beexceedingly strong and durable in use. It will be further noted that itmay be readily set and may be repeatedly used so that it will beinexpensive to operate. In practice I have found it exceedingly usefulfor the purpose set forth.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it will be understood that `I do not wish to belimited to the precise construction set forth, since various changes inthe form, proportion and arrangement of parts, and

in the details of construction, may be resorted to within the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An animal trap comprising a body or base, jaw members projectingtherefrom, and having at their ends, opposing jaws adapted to beinserted in the hole of a burrowing animal, one of said members beingrotatable whereby its jaw may swing toward and from the other jaw, aspring for actuating the rotatable member, in one direction, an arm onsaid rotatable member, a lever pivoted to the body to engage said arm,and hold the movable jaw in its open position, a second lever pivoted tothe body and engaged with the first lever, and the shiftable triggerco-acting with said second lever.

2. Ah animal trap compri-sing a body or base, aw members projectingtherefrom, and having at their ends opposing jaws adapted to be insertedin the hole of a burrowing animal, one of said members being rotatablewhereby its jaw may swing toward and from the other jaw, a sprinor foractuating the rotatable member in one irection, an arm on said rotatablemember, a lever pivoted to the body to engage said arm and hold themovable jaw in its open position, a. second lever pivoted to the bodyand engaged with the first lever and a trigger slidably arranged uponthe body and having means at one end to releasably engage said secondlever, and means at its other end arranged adjacent to the jaws forsupporting the bait.

3. An animal trap comprising a body or base, aw members rojectingtherefrom and having at their ends) opposing jaws adapted .t'o beinserted in the hole of a burrowing animal, one of said members beingrotatable whereby its jaw may swing toward and from the other jaw, aspring for actuating the rotatable member in one direction, a holdingmeans for said rotatable jaw including a pair of engaged levers, and aslidable trigger having a hook to engagev one of said levers and aportion disposed adjacent to said jaws.

4. An animal trap comprising a body" or base, jaw members projectingtherefrom and having at their ends opposing jaws adapted to be insertedin the hole of a burrowing animal, one of said members being rotatablewhereby its aw may swing toward and from the other jaw, a spring foractuating the rotatable member in one direction, a holding means forsaid rotatable jaw including a pair of engaged levers, a slidabletrigger having a hook portion to engage one of said levers and a portiondisposed adjacent to said jaws, and a keeper member adapted to receiveand hold the lever while the trap is being positioned for use.

5. An animal trap comprising a base plate, rods projecting therefrom andone being rotatably mounted, gripping jaws on the outer ends of saidrods, an arm upon the inner end of the rotatable rod, a spring foractua-ting said rotatable rod, a lever pivoted on the base forengagement with said arm, a second lever pivoted on the base to engagethe first lever, and a slidable trigger rod mounted on the base andvhaving a hook portion to engage the second lever, and a projectinportion disposed adjacent to said jaws an adapted to be actuated by 15an animal.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my Signature in the resence of twoWitnesses.

CHARL S ALBION WYMAN. Witnesses:

FRANK ALLEN WYMAN, JAY G. MANN.

